


Acquaintance

by EverybodyLovesEggsy



Series: Love is a Process [5]
Category: Kingsman (Movies)
Genre: Developing Friendships, Light Angst, Scheming Friends
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-26
Updated: 2019-07-26
Packaged: 2020-07-20 04:23:40
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,006
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19986049
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EverybodyLovesEggsy/pseuds/EverybodyLovesEggsy
Summary: Eggsy and Percival's friendship develops (with help from their friends, not that they will ever admit that)





	1. Cordial

Percival liked Eggsy. When they were at Harry’s, they got along very well. They definitely got along better than he and Harry or he and James had when Percival had first met them.

And yet they weren’t friends.

Kind of like when he first met Harry, Percival found him and Eggsy only ever interacting when their friends got together or for a mission. But when they did interact, they were more friendly with one another than he and Harry had ever been to each other before Anthony died.

Percival didn’t really understand it. But at the same time, he didn’t necessarily mind it either.

Harry, Merlin and Roxy had all noticed of course and had became exasperated with the two of them. And when they asked him why they weren’t friends? Percival honestly didn’t have an answer (and seeing as how they continued to corner him and ask, he figured Eggsy was also being asked and didn’t have an answer either). By all rights, after the dinner at Harry’s, they should have been fast friends. But they just weren’t.

Seeing as how Eggsy treated Percival no differently than their friends, Percival figured he didn’t mind their set up either. So Percival continued as usual, not changing his acquaintance with Eggsy while also shrugging off their friend’s exasperations.

********

When Roxy had texted him, asking if he wanted to go get coffee, Percival was immediately suspicious. His niece was not really one for sitting in a coffee shop. She enjoyed the coffee and the pastries, but he knew that she preferred to get it to go and enjoy the outdoors. Then again, she had gone through a lot since he had last taken her to a coffee shop. Perhaps she was more inclined to enjoy the atmosphere around her than before.

So Percival agreed on a time and place to meet her. Almost as soon as he got to the coffee shop, she texted an apology that she would be unable to join him due to a last minute meeting she had with Harry. Percival sighed at the same time he heard a familiar curse. Looking up from his phone, he saw Eggsy standing a few feet away, in front of the shop’s display of pastries, scowling at his phone.

All of a sudden, Percival realized that he had been suspicious for a good reason.

He made his way over to Eggsy and asked, “Did you perhaps just get ditched by a mutual friend of ours?”

Eggsy looked up at him and smiled slightly, “Yeah. Harry asked me to meet him here.”

“And Roxy just happened to have done just the same to me. Quite the coincidence, isn’t it?”

Eggsy rolled his eyes, “Yeah, quite the coincidence.”

“In my surprise to see you here, I may just forget to pick up the chocolate croissant that Roxy asked me to get her.”

Eggsy laughed, “Oh that’s genius, bruv. I seem to have similarly forgotten to pick Harry up the coffee that he requested.”

Percival smirked, figuring that although he didn’t mind that they didn’t spend a lot of time together, he wouldn’t mind spending more time with the younger man either.


	2. The Set Up

Eggsy likes Percival. He thought the two of them had gotten along famously, just as Roxy had expected. But for some reason, Eggsy didn’t feel the need to go out of his way to talk or hang out with the man the way he wanted to with Harry, Roxy, or Merlin. Percival didn’t seem to feel the need either, considering they didn’t become any closer after the dinner at Harry’s. So Eggsy just figured the two of them were perfectly fine as is.

Harry, Merlin, and (especially) Roxy didn’t seem to have the same feelings about their acquaintance, however. Whenever they got the chance, they bugged him about his and Percival’s set up. And when Eggsy continuously told them that he and Percival didn’t have any problems with one another (that he knew of anyway). The three of them were not satisfied whatsoever.

He didn’t, however, expect them to try and force a friendship between the two of them. And definitely not with the cliché “I have to cancel but you should have fun without me” trick.

Which is how he and Percival found themselves both ditched by their friends in a coffee shop.

“I can’t believe they actually pulled this shite”, Eggsy told Percival.

Percival smirked, “Is it really that surprising? They’ve been trying to get us to be more than cordial with one another for weeks now.”

“Yeah that’s true. Well I’m feelin’ a ham and cheese croissant and we’re already here. You want anythin’?”

“A Danish sounds lovely.”

Eggsy smiled, “Coming right up, bruv.”

Eggsy quickly purchased two coffees and the pastries and made his way over to Percival, who had found a table for the two of them to sit at.

“I didn’t know how you liked your coffee so I hope black is alright.”

Percival smiled up at him, “That’s fine. Thank you.”

Eggsy nodded and took a bite of his ham and cheese. He watched Percival do the same before looking out the window next to him. He was just thinking about the last time he had been in a coffee shop (he had been trying to hide from Dean but the owner kicked him out when it was revealed that Eggsy had no money) and how different things were when Percival broke the silence.

“You know, I think you might be the first person since I met Merlin who is not intimidated by the silence.”

Eggsy snorted, “I used to be. Thought you were right intimidatin’ during training.”

“What changed?”

“Figured there were worse things to be afraid of than someone who doesn’t care to fill the silence”, Eggsy told him, thinking of everything that had happened since he watched Harry ‘die’.

Percival nodded. Eggsy watched as Percival took a sip of his coffee and found himself once again wondering why they didn’t do things like this more often. Percival was an interesting bloke that Eggsy actually wanted to know more about. Perhaps it had something to do with neither of them putting in the effort, he realized.

“Can I ask you a question?” Eggsy blurted. It took him a second to realize he had spoke without thinking.

Percival nodded again.

Following his own impulsivity, he asked the question that he had been meaning to ask since he became Galahad, “Why did you vote for me?”

Percival tilted his head in consideration. After a minute, the man replied, “Roxy didn’t influence me if that’s what you wondering. But I suppose I thought Kingsman needed a few more people less concerned with their social status and more concerned with keeping their heart intact.”

“But wouldn’t not shooting JB show that I can’t follow orders or somewhat? Thought that was the point of the dog test.”

“And yet you had no problem trusting Merlin and following his orders when he told you to kill living, breathing people to save billions, when no other option was available to you. The fact that you could do that but still not wish to shoot JB tells me you just happen to have a soft spot for animals.”

Eggsy considered the man in front of him. He knew many of the knights who voted for him had done so because the world was thrown into chaos after V-Day and they couldn’t afford the time it would take to train a new recruit. Yet the man in front of him voted for him because he genuinely believed in him. Eggsy decided that perhaps Percival was worth the effort that neither of them seemed inclined to put in. Maybe if he put the effort in, Percival would also be more inclined to get to know him.


	3. Perspective/Charmed

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For anyone that's been paying attention to the chapter titles, this chapter has two titles because I couldn't decide which one I like better :)

Percival was surprised when Eggsy didn’t immediately fill the silence between them with chatter. He seemed the type, but perhaps Percival had misjudged him.

That was confirmed when Eggsy asked why Percival voted for him. He had not expected Eggsy to be so straightforward. In hindsight, he should have reserved any judgements he had made about Eggsy, considering they didn’t really know that much about each other.

Percival thought that they should change that. Especially since it turned out that he quite enjoyed spending time with Eggsy. The two of them simply enjoyed their pastries and coffee, switching between comfortable silences and talking about whatever came to either of their minds, but Percival didn’t mind. He preferred it actually. He wasn’t really one to enjoy an abundance of talking – hence his tendency towards silence, especially when he didn’t care for that person – so he appreciated the fact that Eggsy didn’t feel the need to fill the silence. At the same time, there was something about Eggsy that made Percival more inclined to feel like talking.

Percival was interrupted from his musings when Eggsy’s phone rang. Eggsy looked down in surprise, obviously having not expected it. The younger man checked who it was and looked back up at Percival.

“Do you mind?”

Percival motioned for him to continue, not particularly bothered by it. It’s not like it was interrupting a conversation anyways. He watched Eggsy answer the phone with a greeting to his mother, and immediately noticed that his accent had become stronger. Percival wondered if that happened with all of the people Eggsy knew from the estates. Percival pulled himself out of his thoughts when Eggsy’s face darkened at whatever was being said to him.

“I’m on my way,” Eggsy looked up at Percival, “I’m sorry, bruv, but I have to go.”

Concerned, he asked, “Can I help in any way?”

Eggsy hesitated, half way out of his seat, before quickly nodding. Slightly surprised that Eggsy had accepted help, Percival followed Eggsy out of the coffee shop and into a cab.

********

Eggsy had been having a good time with Percival. Until his mum called to tell him that Dean was out on parole.

Apparently the fucker hadn’t learned after Eggsy had confronted him in The Black Prince after V-Day, and thought he could just show up in their lives again. His mum had seen him when she and Daisy were on their way home and thought that he might be following them. So of course Eggsy was going to make sure the man got the message this time.

He only hesitated when Percival asked if he needed help. He was about to refuse but something told him to reconsider. Eggsy trusted his instincts (rather than his impulsivity for once because there was something about Percival that made him trust the man so thoroughly) and allowed the man to tag along.

Percival didn’t actually ask what was going on, obviously content to let Eggsy tell him whenever, but Eggsy figured the man deserved an explanation after they left the coffee shop so quickly. So, Eggsy told him the bare details: that his thought-to-be-incarcerated step father was back and may need a bit of persuasion to leave his mum and sister alone.

When they got to his mum’s house, Dean was shouting and banging on the front door. Eggsy only felt anger coursing through him when he got the man’s attention.

“Dean!”

“Muggsy’s back. Still come running when mummy calls?” Dean turned with a smirk. He then saw Percival standing next to him and sneered, “Pretending you’re more than just a rent boy fucking a tailor, are you?

“Leave, Dean. Or we’re going to be confronting those manners we discussed last time”, Eggsy told him calmly, not rising to the bait like he might have before Kingsman.

A hint of fear flashed in Dean’s eyes when Eggsy mentioned last time before the man sneered at him and Percival, “Couple o’ twinks like you aren’t worth my time. Better watch yourself Muggsy.”

Eggsy relaxed when Dean left. He sighed, wondering if the man would ever truly be out of his life. Eggsy glanced over at Percival who was waiting patiently next to him, unrecognizable look on his face. Concern maybe?

“Come on”, Eggsy told him and made his way to his mum’s door. He knocked softly, “Mum. He’s gone.”

The door swung open swiftly and Eggsy was met by his mum with an upset Daisy in her arms and a frazzled look on her face. And a bruise on her cheek. Before Eggsy could say anything, she quickly pulled Eggsy into a hug, which he returned, causing Daisy to make a protesting noise through her sobs. Hearing her, Eggsy pulled back and herded them into the house and to the couch. Once there, Eggsy took Daisy and gently shushed her as he got his mum to sit down.

“Percival, can you get our first aid for me? It’s in the kitchen above the stove.”

Eggsy saw him nod and leave. By the time he came back, Eggsy had gotten Daisy to calm down. Eggsy was torn between taking care of Daisy and taking care of his mum who was visibly shaking on the couch. Luckily, Percival seemed to understand his struggle.

“I can take your sister if you’d like. I used to watch Roxy when she was young.”

Eggsy nodded and called Daisy until she tilted her head up to look up at him, “Daisy, I want you to meet Percival. Can you say hi, babe?”

Daisy shyly waved at Percival who smiled comfortingly at her and waved back.

“I need to make sure mum’s okay, yeah? So can you be brave and go with Percival for me?”

Daisy frowned and quietly said, “Mummy hurt.”

“I know flower. That’s why I need you to go with Percival so I can take good care of her the way she takes good care of us.”

Daisy nodded, “Okay.”

“That’s my brave flower. I’ll just be on the couch, yeah?”

Daisy nodded again so Eggsy passed her to Percival’s waiting arms. She looked up at Percival in consideration and Percival returned the look. After a minute he made a face at Daisy, causing her to laugh. Eggsy smiled and, now that he was sure Daisy was okay with Percival, he picked the first aid up and sat down next to his mum. She was watching Daisy with a small smile on her face, and was no longer shaking. Eggsy took that as a good sign.

“Mum,” She looked over at him, “I need to look at that bruise, yeah?”

She nodded and tilted her face towards him. Eggsy gently felt along his mum’s cheek to make sure nothing got broken. When he felt confident nothing was broken, he opened up the first aid and took out some arnica cream to help it heal.

When he started applying the cream his mum winced and Eggsy couldn’t hold back the question any longer, “How did this happen?”

“Nicked me when I tried to get out of his hold. Was able to get free after that and get me and Daisy inside.”

Eggsy hummed, holding the anger he felt towards Dean at bay. He finished up applying the arnica and put the cream away. Before he could do anything else, his mum took one of his hands.

“Thanks for taking care of us so well, babe.”

“Of course.”

“Hope I didn’t interrupt a date”, his mum quietly said, nodding towards Percival and Daisy.

Eggsy looked over and saw Daisy talking animatedly to Percival. The man had a small smile on his face. Daisy then asked him a question and Percival laughed before saying something to make Daisy laugh. Eggsy smiled slightly at the picture the two made. Percival really was good with kids.

“Nah, he’s just a friend, mum. We were havin’ coffee when you called.”

He turned when he heard her hum and saw she had her eyes narrowed at him.

Eggsy shook his head, “Seriously, mum. We’re just friends.”

He didn’t wait for his mum’s reaction as he moved to join Percival and Daisy. He was definitely going to make the effort to become better friends with the man. Judging by the way Percival smiled at him when he sat next to them, he figured Percival wouldn’t mind.

********

Percival was able to guess who exactly Dean was to Eggsy when he saw the man banging on the front door of, presumably, Eggsy’s mother’s house. He had suspicions before, and especially after Eggsy told him the situation, but seeing Dean in person confirmed his suspicions. the bruise on Eggsy’s mother’s face, further cemented that confirmation about Dean’s abusive nature.

It only made him admire Eggsy’s big heart even more.

The younger man obviously put his family first as he hugged his sister comfortingly. It made Percival wonder how many times Eggsy put himself between his so-called step father and his family.

When Eggsy was obviously torn between caring for his mother and sister, Percival offered to immediately offered to help. Which is how he ended up being charmed by Eggsy’s sister.

While shy at first, Daisy was a sweet and intelligent little girl who was just bursting with energy. So charmed by Daisy, Percival almost missed hearing Eggsy’s mother asking if they were dating. Had he not had that question asked of him mistakenly so many times after he and James became friends, he might would have blushed. Then he heard Eggsy call him a friend. Earlier that day, they were _barely_ that. But Eggsy said it with such conviction that it took him by surprise.

And yet Percival couldn’t help but be quite pleased by the revelation. Because despite their slow start, he couldn’t imagine them being less than friends anymore. Not now that he understood Eggsy a bit better. Because knowing him just slightly better than this morning made Percival want to find out even more about Eggsy.

Percival smiled up at Eggsy at the thought of spending more time together when the younger man joined him and Daisy. If Eggsy’s answering smile was anything to go by, Percival thought that perhaps Eggsy wouldn’t mind spending more time together.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Did anyone get Eggsy's nod to him using the manners maketh man quote at the end of Secret Service when I had him confronting Dean?

**Author's Note:**

> So Chapter 3 got away from me but I hope you guys liked it! I wanted to make their friendship not quite so immediate because I feel like quick friendships are actually quite rare. Plush this gives the two sometime to get to know each other a bit.


End file.
